Electric switch



(No Model.)

C. H. HERRICK. v

BLEGTRIO'SWITGH.

NO. 485,098. Patented Ang. 26, 1890,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES H. -IERRICK, OF VINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRlopswlToH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,093, dated August 26, 1890.

Application filed May 16, 1890.

oaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. HERRICK, of lVinchestcr, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying` drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on thedrawings representing` like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve electric switches of the class wherein the switch-bar is thrown from one to the other position quickly by the action of a spring to avoid forming' an arc.

In accordanoe with this invention theswitchbar is mounted loosely upon a central shaft or spindle, and at its ends the said switch-. bar is preferably acted upon by two Springs carried by two oppositely-extended arms fixed to or formingl a part of the central spindle, rotation of which carries the said arms to one or the other side of the center line of the switch-bar, causing' the Springs to act to throw the said switch-bar into one or another of the two positions.

My invention therefore consists in the combination, with a spindle having,` an arm, of a switch-bar niounted on said spindle and a spring' interposed between t-he end of said switch-bar and said arm,as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter vdescribed, and clai ms.

Figure l is a plan View of my improved switch with the cover removed; Fig. 2, a similar view with the switch-bar in another position; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the switch shown in Fig. l; Fig. 4, a partial under side view, to be referred to; Fig'. 5, a partial side View, to be referred to.

Referring` to the drawings, the baseA has a suitable bearing,r aX for the spindle a, having' at its onter end a suitable handle a' and at its lower end a stop 2, which moves between the limiting-blocks 3 4: formed in said bearing', as shown in Fig. 4, and the said spindle, as represented, has formed upon it the oppositely-extended arms az, provided at their ends with screws or studs (L3, on which are pivoted the bars al, loosely connected at their outer ends to proj ections (L5, preferably made as screws or studs and attached to opposite pointed out in the ends of the switch-bar as, preferably of insulating material, loosely mounted on the spindle a', the said bars C04 being surrounded by spiral springs al, which bear at opposite ends against the said projections or against washers 15 1G, interpose'd as shown. The ends of the switch-bars (L6 are fitted with conducting' contact-plates a, adapted to engage when in its position, as shown in Fig. 2, the fixed main-line contact-pens Z) c, and the auxiliary contact-pens 62 02, and when in other position, as shown in Fig. 1, said contactplates are out of engagement with-all of said pens, as shown in Fig. 5; but if desired the main line-contact-pens b c may be so shaped and located that the con tact-plates a will always be in engagement therewith and the auxiliary contact-pens alone be cut in or out by movement of the switch-bar. It will be seen that the main line and auxiliary pens overlap each other, so that When in one position, as in Fig. 2,'the contact-plates og will engag'e both the main line and auxiliary peus, while in its other position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, both contact-[Jens are out of engag'ement and contact with the plates (L9, both the local or branch line and the main line being' in this instance interrnpted or cut out.

Referring,` to Fig. 1, the switch-bar (LG is shown in its normal position with the contact-plates a out of contact with the pens. Now, if the handle a' be turned in the direction of arrows 25, the arm (L2 will be moved into their dotted-line position, Fig. 1, directly in line with the switch-bar (L6, pressing the springs al, the stops s preventin,r the switchbar from inovingin that direction; but as soon as the arms az are moved beyond the center line of the switch-bar a6 the Springs a7 will act from the opposite side of the center line to throw said bar immediately over into the position shown in Fig'. :2 in contactwith both main line and auxiliary pens, the operation being` the reverse, but precisely the same, to throw the switch back into its normal position, Fig. 1, the stop 2 on the spindle (1/ re- ICO sary to turn the handle a' sufiiciently to carry the arms a2 beyond the center line of the switch-bar, When the springs Will ,immediately throW the Same to its extreme position, although theI handle be held in that position.

In practice a shell or coverincloses the operating parts, to exclude dust, &c., as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3.

In Some classes of sw'itches I shall employ onl).7 one arm a2, its spring (L4 acting upon one end only of the switch-bar; and in what are known as single-pole switches I may employ only one set of pens, as 7) and b2.

I do not desire to limit myinvention to the particular construction shown, as the same may be Varied Without departing from the scope of this invention.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the rotatable spindle a, having an armaz, of a pivoted switchbar a of greater radial length than the said arm (L2, a spring interposed 'between and carried by the said arm and the outer end of the said switch-bar, and the co-operating contacts, to operate substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rotatable spindle a, haying an arm (L2, and the Shoulders 3 4 and the co-operating stop 2, of a pivoted switch-bar (L6, of greater radial length than the said arm C02, the spring (L7, and co-operating contacts for said switch-bar, all to operate substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the rotatable spindle a, having ani arm az, and the Shoulders 34 and the co-operating stop 2, of a switch-bar as, of greater radial length than the said arm ag, the spring a7, contacts Z) D2, and stops s, substantially as described.

4. The rotatable spindle, its arm a'v, having studs, and the pivoted sWitch-barhaving projections moving in arcs of greater radius than the studs on the arms a2, combined with links loosely connecting the said studs and projections, the interposed Springs, and contacts for said switch-bar, all to operate substantially as desoribed.

5. The rotatable spindle a, having oppositely-extended arms 0.2, combined with the pivoted switch-bar as, of greater radial length than the said arms (L2, Springs interposed between said arms and the ends of the said switch-bar, and the contact-pens b c 192 02, to operate substantially as described.

In testimony'whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subsoribing witnesses.

OHAS. I'l. IIERRIOK.

Vtfitnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, BERNICE J; Novns. 

